True story: the phrase and gesture "**** you" is derived from Englishmen holding up their middle fingers to the French to show that they could still shoot a longbow at them (the French would cut off the middle fingers of English archers).

The phrase evolved from "I'll pluck you".

As has been noted, it was 2 fingers held out to the French. It is supposed to date from the Battle of Agincourt. Where the French nobility - in overwhelming numbers - was Royally F*cked. Henry's army was in a parlous condition with open britches to void their Bowels of Dystentry. The French had every advantage - except a Strategist.

A pity he also was sufficiently Ruthless to order the executions of their prisoners instead of offering Ransom as was usual. Maybe it was necessary, though in his Mind to effect Victory.

Anyway, the French King had promised to cut off the first 2 fingers of every English and Welsh Archer, hence the response.

Fast forward to 1943 where he and a corporal that he suckered into joining him, snuck into the town of Salerno, Italy. There the pair kidnapped a sentry and forced the units that were garrisoned there to surrender. The two British soldiers waltzed out of there with 42 prisoners and a mortar squad..

You missed out the craziest part of that story.. He was armed only with his sword!!

He simply took one patrolling guard as a human shield and went around from sentry post to sentry post, sneaking up on the guards and then shoving his sword in their faces until they surrendered. His response when asked about how he was able to capture so many soldiers so easily:

"I maintain that, as long as you tell a German loudly and clearly what to do, if you are senior to him he will cry 'jawohl' (yes sir) and get on with it enthusiastically and efficiently whatever the situation."

How about Lt Gen Sir Adrian Carton De Wiart? Born in Belgium but became English including the Terribly Pukka Moustache. Died in the Republic of Cork, Ireland. His auto-biography, "Happy Voyage" doesn't even mention his Victoria Cross...Did I mention he lost a Hand in the First World War and insisted on Serving in WWII despite the initial rejection The War Office? He also was imprisoned in Italy. Blimey. What a Read.

Or that other lunatic, Lt Col Blair "Paddy" Mayne (4 x DSOs). Terrifying to his Men when he was Angry.

Henry's army was in a parlous condition with open britches to void their Bowels of Dystentry.

The French thought the English were using poisoned arrows as many ended up with horribly infected wounds from English bowmen. But it was in fact the combination of the archers free-flowing bowels and their habit of preparing to launch a volley of shots by sticking their arrows point first in the shitty ground for easy access.

Yeah, but can't just have the resources. They has to be available. The first railways in India was first laid out in the 1850's.

Ergo: Natural resources is the most highly overrated factor in a country's wealth. Regarding natural resources, Democratic Republic of Congo should be the richest country and Switzerland should be the poorest.

The French thought the English were using poisoned arrows as many ended up with horribly infected wounds from English bowmen. But it was in fact the combination of the archers free-flowing bowels and their habit of preparing to launch a volley of shots by sticking their arrows point first in the shitty ground for easy access.

Indeed, sir, and there were only 5,000 left in Henry's Army. He'd have conquered France had he lived...would that have been a good thing??

I read his book "The Jungle is Neutral" good heavens, what a bloke. Sadly, he took his own life in later years. I also read a bio of him. Inspirational figure for so many during the Malaya campaign under Mad Mike Calvert, I'd have thought.

Remember it's the (British) gift for understatement you have to keep in Mind when reading of these characters. "Things got a bit sticky" usually means there was Blood on The Walls...